One of the few draws of suburbia, at least for me, is Peruvian Chicken. It used to be Peruvian Chicken and Target, but since one of the superstores opened in Columbia Heights, I embrace hopping on the green line, picking up Dunkin’ Donuts, and witnessing street crime all on the way to grab toilet paper and a $27 bathing suit. It is a perfect way to spend a Sunday.
So, as a lady that doesn’t drive and who has a group of friends who are very sick of carting her ass around– no matter how many amusingly ridiculous tales I recount- I do not get to enjoy Peruvian chicken often. There just aren’t enough people in the world who really yearn for slow roasted bird. It is a very sad stroke of luck.
Yet, it looks like my luck has changed.
Nando’s Peri-Peri “home of legendary, Portugese, flame-grilled, peri-peri chicken” has opened in Chinatown. Now, I know there are many cultural differences between the Peruvian and the Portuguese, but none of them are evident in their chicken. I couldn’t detect a lick of difference.
The chicken is juicy and tender, with a flavorful skin. The dipping sauces offer significant heat without drowning out actual flavor; I was enamored with the garlic peri-peri sauce, but the wild herb was also great. I ordered the mashed potatoes as my side and was not disappointed; chives and garlic tickled every bite without overpowering the buttery potatoes. My friend had the spicy rice, which avoided massive amounts of salt (a common problem at these places) and complemented the chicken well.
This is not to say the place was without its faults. Service was a tad chaotic, with an over eager manager and unsure counter staff. After ordering, you are instructed to order at the counter, to sit down and then a server appears. The place is manic; it cannot decide if it is sit down or self serve, which leaves the customer feeling lost and confused.
I can deal with uncertainty in my dating life, but not with my chicken.
Even though Nando’s had its faults, all was forgiven when this appeared:
A good carrot cake can make me overlook 5 courses of faults…and this cake? Well, it could have convinced me Charlie Manson was Javier Bardem. Sure, it tasted a tad industrial, but the industry had done its research. It was moist, chock full of raisins, full of crunchy walnuts, and slathered in a thick, sweet, cream cheese frosting. A moist carrot cake with a decent frosting is a really hard thing to find, and Nando’s did a damn good job, especially for a chain.
A car? I now have one less reason to ever purchase one; smoky chicken can be purchased right here in the city. Even without the special, mind numbing powers of the carrot cake, I would go back in a heartbeat.
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Lem, any time you want Peruvian chicken, give me a call. There’s a couple of good places right by my house in Arlington and I’ll be happy to pick you up at Pentagon City before heading out for some slow-roasted bird.
Hm, what on is there? Crisp and Juicy? I am a Pollo Rico girl. If it is PR, I am IN.
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How much do entrees cost?
And, Kevin, you’ll have to pick me up as well.
Ah, should have included that…for a diet coke, a quarter chicken and one side it was $9. It is pretty on par with anything out in the burbs.
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mmmm that sounds really yummy- both the chicken and the carrot cake.
boots are on sale at target for $22 through saturday, just fyi.
$22! I need to run there 15 minutes ago.
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You are sorely trying my patience with the unattainable meals that will kill me due to food allergies.
When I lived in Arlington, my neighbors used to go to the Crisp and Juicy all the time. They called it “food crack”.
Made the whole building smell so good, I’d go out to the local bar to get away from the intoxicating smell.
But you keep coming back…you cannot resist my charms.
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I have trouble with carrot cake. I’m like a kid who’s not willing to eat it because some part of it might actually be good for me.
I promise you, there is nothing good about carrot cake when it comes to health.
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Is anyone else incredibly tickled that it’s the smell of chicken that drives BH to drink?
Everyone has their triggers. For me, it is the holidays. bh, it is chicken.
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is there an option for fried potatoes? if so I am all over this place! although it’s difficult for me to make it all the way to chinatown and eat anyplace other than matchbox… pretty much because matchbox has bloody mary’s.
Yes, they had fries. They looked awesome. I love the onion straws at Matchbox…
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Oh great and glorious food goddess – I have a culinary emergency!! Please, please, please help.
I have been shanghaied into making chili for a stupid company event. Not only do I not have freaken time for this – hello leaving for Russia in 7 days!!!!- but it is a themed event so I have to come up with an EXOTIC chili that will feed 25 to 30.
so – any exotic, easy to prepare, crowed serving chili recipes up your sleeve?
Tell them to screw–you have too many exciting things to take care of in Russia.
Or you could make this white chicken chili. Perhaps this black bean soup which is really thick and could definitely be passed off as black bean chili.
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Lem, I’m a Super Pollo kind of guy.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/super-pollo-arlington
I’m ready whenever you and Shannon wanna go. In fact, all this talk about chicken has me cravin’ some right now. So the sooner the better.
I see a field trip in the near future.
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hmm… there is chicken-related goodness that i don’t know about? that just doesn’t seem right. almost as wrong as bh being allergic to chicken. is that possible?
Well, now you know. I am here to serve.
As far as chicken allergies…I think bh wouldn’t lie to us.
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“Everyone has their triggers. For me, it is the holidays.”
Just how broadly do you define “the holidays”?
Bastille Day, Arbor Day…very liberal interpretation.
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You can be allergic to poultry, but it’s very rare. It is, however, easier to explain than “lysine intollerant” (like me!), which merely means you have a fucked up system that can’t correctly process huge quantities of lysine, which too much poultry can provide.
I can, however, still eat the occasional piece of chicken. And I can’t believe that Nando’s is less than a block from my office, yet I still haven’t been there.
Yeah, I think I am actually lactose intolerant but I eat it anyway. Good for you for giving your system the finger.
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‘here to serve’, huh… interesting.
Ay dios mio.
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It’s one of several triggers: football, fridays, staff meetings, fall afternoons, waking up in the morning…..
Air, Tuesday…
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There’s a pretty good peruvian chicken place in Adams Morgan! It’s not quiiiite as good as the suburbian places, but I’d still give it about a 7.5 or so (whatever that means). Come to my hood and have some chicken!
7.5….we can do better than that Doug!
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Oh baby, you know I’m allllll over this. God dammit, why can’t there be something within walking distance? I’m not sure how I feel about Portuguese chicken, but I’m down to try something new.
You will like it, I promise. They have beer and wine–did I mention that?
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What is this chicken
From Peru that gets such raves?
And why in the ‘burbs?
I wish I knew…I really do.
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If you feel like hopping on a different kind of train there are plenty of peruvian chicken places in Manhattan. Now that is my idea of a road trip; not one to Arlington. You need to expand those horizons.
I am very open minded…give me some credit. I try new things all the time. And you aren’t the only man trying to lure me to NYC. I sense a cage match in my future.
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For those that don’t know, they cook the chicken, rotisserie style over beds of charcoal. You can actually smell the places lighting the Kingsford in the mornings down near Bailey’s Crossroads. And the marinade is supposed to be phenomenol.
Why all the best places are along Route 7 in VA, I haven’t the foggiest idea.
The dipping sauces are insane too…
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Ah, route 7. AKA, Seven Countries.
Yes, indeed. Hence the need for one a little closer.
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The best peruvian chicken used to be El Pollo Rico in Wheaton. They got shut down once for tax evasion and harboring illegal aliens, and then, a couple months after reopening, it burned. Coincidence? You decide. But the chicken was awesome. The day they reopened following the federal indictment I was in the huge line for chicken along with several cops. Obviously chicken is more important than paying taxes.
Anyway, the other El Pollo Rico location in Virginia somewhere I believe is still open. I have never been there (since I generally fear virginia) but I assume it’s also good. There really is no substitute.
Other than that, Pollo Sabrosa in Mt. Pleasant is pretty damn good, and a lot more convenient.
The PR in Virginia Square is awesome..I love it. They have cream soda!
Never tried Pollo Sabrosa. Adding it to the list now.
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Damn, if you like Peruvian chicken that much then you’ll love their ceviche, which is out of this world. Although a good Peruvian meal must be accompanied with
lots ofsome pisco sour. Do they serve pisco?No pisco…the place is BARE bones.
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Of course I can do better….. but I can’t do better than a 7.5 that’s a 3 minute walk from my place
There’s no “10″ for food in Adams Morgan… the only “10″ is the people watching at 2:30am
You could call that a 10…or a zero.
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i don’t know that if there’s any culinary 10s in adams morgan, but amsterdam falafel is likely the best in DC.
by the way, all this chicken talk is just making me antsy. it must be genetic or something.
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El Chalan is one of the BEST peruvian restaurants and it’s on 18th and I.
For the best rotisserie chicken, it’s Super Chicken in Falls Church. Super Chicken puts Pollo Rico to shame.
Is that a challenge? PR to shame…wow. That has to be some good chicken.
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I am a super fan of http://www.pollotropical.com/spanish/index.htm
however, they are not in the D.C. metro area. My roommate and I used to eat there at least once a week. Now, you have introduced new drugs (Super Chicken & Pollo Rico) to an addict. I will hold you personally responsible for my relapse. You evil pusher of chicken. The question is do they have yuca, plantains, or tres leches???
They don’t but the carrot cake will make you forget about tres leches.
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I would be the minority that doesn’t like it :ducking:
or carrot cake
I am a very picky eater yes I know I suck
OK, I guess I can get carrot cake, but ROASTED CHICKEN. Come on Zip…open your mind. It’s ok, it doesn’t hurt.
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I opened my mind when I tried lamb at Casablanca at a birthday party – since the guest of honors wife was paying, I didn’t want to be rude and gah it was horrible.
I am just real picky when it comes to poultry – I like chicken – but selective where I eat it.
I know – smack me
I won’t smack you–mama taught me better. But hot damn if that doesn’t bring selective to a whole new level. I still like ya though.
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If it complimented the chicken well, I think I could work with a less-salted rice. Guess it’s just me being so used to having plain white rice as a side dish more often than not (It’s the half-Asian part of me, I swear!)
Chocoholic I may be, but a really good carrot cake is a close 2nd in my dessert nirvana.
~S~
Nirvana is cream cheese frosting, I think…
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bh, what are you allergic to? I’m allergic to soy and nuts, and Nando’s was more than accommodating- explained every thing they cook with. And it was quite delicious, I might add…
They are super eager to please there…but I must say they could not tell me if there was coconut in their carrot cake…I had to take the risk. It worked out, but I was nervous… I think bh is allergic to chicken, which definitely sucks.
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Nando’s Peri-Peri looks a whole lot better than any of the dozen or so Peruvian chicken places that abound in my neighborhood. I do like their yuca though. Does Nando’s serve yuca?
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Nando’s was tres delicious, but how bout those menu groaners? “get your tastebuds ready for the prickly head of nando’s with our spicy nuts”?!
yeah, definitely could have done without those…good call.
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whoops. i meant “prickly heat.”
I like prickly head better.
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